Lines In The Sand

Take a moment to breathe and reflect. Using the transitory nature of sand to stir the imagination, this simple birch wood box becomes an oasis for reflection, hidden thoughts, and creative yearnings. Artist Jayne Riew designed this compact, tablet-sized meditation box for artists, writers, and other creative professionals with lots of mental traffic. Filled with fine grains of sand that shift and swirl with your emotions, the ever changing canvas takes away the pressure of filling a blank page and lets the mind just wander. A soft velvet layer lines the base, creating a soothing sensation as the stylus makes its mark. Made in High Ridge, Missouri.

Jayne Riew and Artificer Wood Works for the Uncommon Collection

location

Missouri

The Meditation Box was designed by Jayne Riew and produced by Artificer Wood Works.

Jayne Riew makes books and boxes designed to promote introspection or documentation, or to help identify the unspoken or unexpressed. When it comes to toxic emotions in particular, acknowledging unwanted thoughts is hard enough. Having a personal space with a lid or cover such as the Meditation Box can invite the practice of expressing such thoughts and emotions.

Since their founding in 2011, Artificer Wood Works has been a company of creative thinkers and makers, blending an innovative spirit with the nostalgia of artisanal craftsmanship to handcraft unique and clever products. Their journey began when the search for a unique wedding gift inspired them to create Wine for a Wedding—a unique wine box designed to celebrate future anniversaries. Since then, the size and capabilities of their wood shop has grown significantly, allowing them to explore new creations.

Each item in the Uncommon Collection meets five important standards. Here's how Meditation Box qualified for the Collection:

Original Design

Originally designed by Jayne Riew for her friend, author Susan Cain, who had trouble "unplugging" at the end of the day, the
Meditation Box embraces the impermanence of thoughts and words, defining a desktop space to let them flow through
meditative, creative writing using simple materials that can be utilized again and again. With a playful nod to Susan's
omnipresent computer, the form of the box and its lid is laptop-like. Inside, the transitory and forgiving nature of writing lines in
sand encourages free expression in a way that blank paper cannot. The lid offers an inspiring quotation and protects the
workspace, while the stylus fits into the box for a convenient, self-contained design.

Responsible Business Practices

mission statement

"To blend an innovative spirit with the nostalgia of artisan craftsmanship; to handcraft unique and clever products."

fair wage

Artificer Wood Works pays employees a starting wage of $9/hr., which falls within 10% of Jefferson County's living wage.

All full-time employees receive 2 weeks vacation and 1 week personal/sick leave per year, as well as having a flexible
working schedule. PTO varies by employee. Some are salaried and receive 5 personal days and 10 vacation days that start
immediately. Some employees desire and require a more flexible schedule and have chosen to be paid hourly, which does not
include PTO.

recycling primary/secondary materials

Their wood waste is reduced and recycled in multiple ways: reducing waste by utilizing scraps in unique
and creative ways; donating wood shavings to a nearby wildlife rehabilitation clinic to be used as animal bedding; donating
other wood waste to Hoppiness farms to be recycled into BioChar for soil conditioning—a carbon negative process. They
also recycle their general waste and take any empty hazardous containers (from paint or stain) to their county's environmental
services location where it is disposed of properly.

charitable giving

Along with their wood and some box donations for charity auctions, Artificer Wood Works also donates
the funds necessary to plant a tree for every item they sell. Since their founding in 2011, they've been donating annually to the
nonprofit organization Trees for the Future, helping to plant thousands of trees. Trees for the Future is dedicated to planting
trees with rural communities in the developing world, enabling them to restore their environment, grow more food, and build a
sustainable future.

Still haven't found the details you're looking for? Check out our Product Q&A!

Most of our items are in stock and will ship quickly. Orders for in-stock items placed before 5pm ET (Economy and Standard shipping) or 2pm ET (Preferred, Expedited, and Express shipping) Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, will ship:

Economy shipping:

within 8 days, arriving no later than the 9th business day after the order was placed.

Much larger than I anticipated from the online data/pictures, albeit I didn't check the dimensions when ordering. It is too early to know if the recipient will appreciate and use the product. Great gift for the mindful friend, acquaintance and/or client.

Merchant response:Thanks for your feedback! We thought a lot about how much sand to include in this item. Too much and the velvet would not show through the sand to create your design. Too little, and your design could not be formed. After user testing we determined that 4oz of sand struck just the right balance. a simple shake with a closed lid should evenly distribute the sand to fully cover the velvet liner and allow for you to start designing. All that said, it's possible that you received a defective one that doesn't have enough sand.

This was purchased as a gift for a dear friend experiencing health problems. I couldn't seem to find anything appropriate until I located this meditation box. It's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, with very smoothly finished wood (loved running my fingers over the cover), and just the right size. I like that there is a groove in which to place the lid so it will stand up and the nice message there is visible. The gift has not been opened, so I can't share the recipient's reaction. If it were mine, I'd find it very therapeutic to be able to write some of my less positive thoughts and concerns in the soft white sand and be able to symbolically wipe them away and be done with them.

My mother gave me this as a gift. I absolutely love it. The box is beautifully designed so I currently have it sitting out on my dining room table. There is enough sand to write in or doodle images. I also love the writing utensil because it can write thick or thin depending on what side you use. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a calming or soothing activity.